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Don’t worry, we’re trained to observe….

The picture came from Space.com, sent to them by a reader after taking the photo in Alaska during the auroras caused by the recent solar storm…. Gorgeous, eh? Too bad I don’t feel up to talking about it, or, for that matter, at all… In fact, I feel like crap, and will be going back to bed as soon as I can get this done…. which won’t take long, as I intend to be ruthless… I know, it’s hard to believe, but, watch me….

Shall we Pearl?….

“Forward, as occasion offers. Never look round to see whether any shall note it…. Be satisfied with success in even the smallest matter, and think that even such a result is no trifle.” — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 AD) — Meditations, ix, 29

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“You can’t legislate morality. We tried to outlaw consumption of alcoholic beverages. We found that violation of the law led to bigger crimes and bred disrespect for the law.” — Jimmy Carter, 1976

I am almost completely certain the four words you see first in the above quote constitute the FIRST time in history an American President, or, for that matter, almost any other elected official in any country in the last 200 years (since they started holding elections relatively universally in the world’s cultures….), has EVER uttered them, unless they were referring TO the words themselves…. none before Jimmy ever said it, and claimed it as their own belief…. Never….

Hell, even Jimmy couldn’t get it across to anyone, even from his lofty perch atop the world’s hierarchy of alleged leaders, the greatest portion of which are merely shills, pimping society at the behest of their corporate masters…. This simple, WRONG idea, that people will become moral if a law is passed indicating that morality, threatening punishment for all who will not conform…. thus adding to the problem, not the solution….

Such legislation is the very WORST sort of behavior modification, scientifically speaking, in that, no matter what the behavior, the law will tend to make things worse; people formerly functioning, productive members of society, just by being a part of a group that believes differently, becomes a criminal in the government’s eyes…. all for a point of morality, which, frankly, is none of their fucking business… They only believe it is, because they are professionals, and, obviously (to them…) they know what is best for all…. making them a very dangerous creature, i.e., a busybody with a mandate….

Having started this rant yesterday, it will have to do, as is…. I’m not well this morning…. So, rather than a politirant, here is a sublimated old-school pearl that is masquerading as a religirant, from SB….

This old-school pearl is one Smart Bee pretty much picked out by itself, over the course of a couple days…. I’m not sure what stimulated it, but, it seems to have been something somebody said about our old friend, and frequent victim target valued visitor subject of discussion, religion….. Go figure….

“For every new foolproof invention there is a new and improved fool.” — Smart Bee

“If we are not stupid or insincere when we say that the good or ill of man lies within his own will, and that all beside is nothing to us, why are we still troubled?” — Epictetus (c. 60 AD) — Discourses, Book i, Chap. xxv

“Religion is the masterpiece of the art of animal training, for it trains people as to how they shall think.” — Arthur Schopenhauer

“It is an old habit with theologians to beat the living with the bones of the dead.” — Robert G. Ingersoll

“There is no conclusive evidence of life after death. But there is no evidence of any sort against it. Soon enough you will know. So why fret about it?” — Lazarus Long, from Robert A. Heinlein’s “Time Enough For Love”

“Any religious system which has in it anything that will shock the mind of a child cannot be true.” — Thomas Paine

“Nothing can be produced out of nothing.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Diogenes of Apollonia, ii

Gee, one would think Smart Bee was a bit miffed…. but, I suppose, given the tendency of religious dogmatists & zealots to become a bit overbearing in their fervor to share their good news, it isn’t particularly surprising…. frustrated, determined fanatics can be tiresome, to say the least….

fanatic: One who, having forgotten their purpose, redoubles their efforts….. I forget who said it, but, Smart Bee would know….
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Here’s some fantastic music, from a woman with whom I’ve been in love from afar for 35-40 years…. A voice like an angel, red hair and a beautiful smile, and the best blues slide player around… Ms. Bonnie Raitt….

At 50:22 of the first video, Bonnie sings, “I Need You At The Dimming of the Day”…. I cried, and so will you, if your emotional range would fill more than a teaspoon….

At 53:13 Bonnie is joined by Jackson Browne for a duet; amazing harmony & feeling of love from both; agape love, not eros, as the Greeks differentiated them…. in this case, the love of a brother and sister, though not of the same mother or father….

I’ve included the links today; going to the page on You Tube will give you a number of suggestions for videos by other artists in the same genre as Bonnie…. to wit: Norah Jones, Box Scaggs, Buddy Guy, etc., along with more of her own concerts and albums…. Enjoy your day with her…..

Solitude is ever present to claim my time,lonely hours and relentlessly long days,no radio plays such music in secular rhymehappy, vibrant voices belong to elder ways.

Life can be justified it seems to say,by hopeful favored moments of pleasure,seemingly friendly, pointing out the only way,to bring back happiness in minimal measure.

Days of horror and embarrassing tearsserve ever to drive wretched hours to withholdpromising naught but sorrow in coming years,black, bitter memories that never grow old.

Cold, cold the days fly by,can it really be our only token?Never to say, or know just whythe pain never stops, even when spoken…

~~ gigoid ~~

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Here’s an old school pearl… I have no idea what any of it means….

“It is almost impossible systematically to constitute a natural moral law. Nature has no principles. She furnishes us with no reason to believe that human life is to be respected. Nature, in her indifference makes no distinction between good and evil.”